As Houston struggles to recover from the devastation left in the wake of Harvey, we take a moment to pause and reflect on a very different part of the world: Southern Malawi. Graymark has partnered with these organizations above to donate homes – one for one – to flood victims on the other side of the globe.

Please make sure to follow our Blog page for updates on the homes that we’re donating and building!

Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world – it is a landlocked nation, bordered by Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique. In the far southern tip, on the border with Mozambique lies Nsanje.

The town lies on the banks of the Shire river, and during rainy season, it often overflows its banks, destroying crops, homes and lives. Just as recently as 2015, tens of thousands of people were displaced from their homes and a year’s worth of crops needed to sustain the region were destroyed.

Unlike in Houston, where homes are constructed of brick, wood, stucco and contain doors, windows and roofs, many of the homes in Malawi are made of dried mud bricks, have no windows or doors and contain threadbare thatch roofs, such as this one:

When heavy rains come or the river overflows, these houses literally “melt, ” such as this one owned by Mercy, who is at least 90, though she doesn’t remember her exact age or birthdate.

The cost to build a new 2 room house with Concrete blocks, a locking door, window and metal roof: $500!

When we heard about the devastation in this region, especially with its high population of elderly, we immediately wanted to get involved. For each home that Graymark rebuilds in the Houston area, we are donating $500 to rebuild a home in Nsanje for the elderly.

The first 10 homes are now under construction and they are being dedicated in the names of the homeowners in Houston whose homes were destroyed by Harvey.

To those of us facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages to our homes, $500 may seem like a small amount, but to those who are receiving a waterproof home for the first time in their lives, it is truly a life-changing event.

Please make sure to follow our Blog page for updates on the homes that we’re donating and building!